Stranger's Kiss (Youka)

She took his instructions in good grace, the mask and armour were not even close to hide his pain, especially not from Akihana. It wasn't even about chakra sensory of advance jutsu. A side effect of feeling things as deeply as the blonde had always been able to was knowing people beyond what their chakra could do and sorrow was an emotion that resonated with her more than anything else. It was the reason the kunoichi had dedicated her existence to helping those in need, because she could tell sorrow and pain beyond the layers of indifference it was masked in and Youka was no different. So instead of telling him that it was not her own life she valued, the young woman simply nodded, falling into step beside him.

"Very well, these two will remain hidden from sight but will be always around me as their duty entails. I will do my best to ensure they do not get in anyone's way." These words were spoken loudly enough to carry over to Ser Arthus and Ser Otto who would hear her and do what they'd been doing so far - nothing at all. She didn't want their lives forfeited because of a decision she had made. The only life forfeit in Kumo would be hers.

"I hail from here actually," she replies as he questions her further. "A long time ago, i used to call Konoha home but it never felt like it. Kumo did though. it still does," sweeping her topaz gaze around the mountains, the ghost of a smile lifted her lips. "I used to come out here when it snowed. Just to fell the cold. There was no snow in fire country so it seemed quiet magical to me." If she tried hard enough, she could almost feel herself going back in time, Arata's laughter ringing in her ears as a snowball caught her square in the face.

"I came to beg you to let my people go," she finally uttered the words, feeling them tumble from her lips, taking with them a weight she hadn't known was hanging over her heart. "I have seen what you've done to the living and the dead. And my only request is that you let the living live and the dying die. Anyone who chooses to follow you of their own free will should be allowed to do so but those people on pikes... hey have no free will. Please, please... for the sake of anything you hold dear, let them go," her request was accompanied by lowered lashed, the kunoichi afraid to look at him directly as she asked what she'd been repeating in her mind the entire journey over. She had never found the right way to say it, perhaps there was none. In the end, this would just have to do.

"In return, I offer myself in the capacity of a hostage, or however else you would see fit to station me. Just please let me help my people. Many of these were my friends and I can no longer live with myself watching them suffer."

Mortarions armor whirred as the servos rotated and locked in different places as his back turned to the female and he walked slightly further over to a small edge that overlooked the village, from here he could see all of its splendor fro each varying wall that was built to the fields that surrounded them. The sentries that guarded were mostly dead but still alive enough to perform their functions of guard dogs while the others were more so proximity mines.

What was however irritating the kage was her withholding of information, he had asked who sent her and who led them, yet she only spoke of past events, all things that he already knew from a dead mans head. The hearin of the name Konohagakure did however raise red flags as he had been there before and the visit was less than pleasant, he'll he had abducted children from the very village for his own agenda. His body on its own grew more rigid as now he thought she could be an assassin sent to deal with him for those previous transgressions.

Looking at the woman over his shoulder plate he'd motion for her to stand next to him before he began talking, if she stayed where she was he'd still speak nonetheless.

"I know your past, I asked pertaining your current whereabouts. If you are allied and returned to konoha I'll kill you and your subordinates here and now. You wouldn't wear Maku's cloak and still be aligned with such a village if you were truly close to him."

He listened also to her request to let her people go as if she were some biblical hero sent to run the people through exodus. She indeed was a rare breed of human and maybe in a different life she could be interesting to keep, however her ideals were in direct contradiction with his own and luckily for everyone he wasn't the same blood thirsty man he used to be. Before he spoke to answer her question he raised his hand and outstretched it in a open manner across the village.

"No. These are not your people, they are mine, bought with blood and death. I am truly a dictator in every sense of the word. They were given choices and their free will is in tact which is why these walls and districts were built. All men want to be led, that is their deepest wish is to not be held accountable for anything and I provide that."

He did laugh audibly at her offer to be taken hostage in return for the villagers, this woman was truly not made for this world.

"You are not worth hundreds of thousands of human life. No ones life is worth more than the next, we all belong to decay and at the end we will return to it for new life to shine. Even if I did agree to your proposition, these people would never be able to leave the village, the very fields that protect them also ensure they never leave. You'd March them right into a pit of sunken soil, excrement and intestines and there they would stay stuck motionless only further feeding decay and rust. If it hurts you that much then don't cast an eye on them, besides I doubt your friends are among these anymore if any of them were a fraction of what you are."

Akihana wasn't sure if her words were having any effect, perhaps she'd never know. But that had never stopped her speaking before and that would not be the case now. Once the blonde had made her case - flimsy as it was - she fell into a respectful silence, waiting for his reply. It was more than the art of negotiation. As much as she disliked it, it was her upbringing that promoted responses like respectful silence, thanks you's, please's and always offering to help. Growing up the second daughter in a family that valued sons had taught Akihana much and more, and some part of her had never been able to truly let go of that courtesy and accommodating nature. So she had simply incorporated it into who she was. There was no point in running away from who you were and she hadn't tried. She could regret what had happened to her but she hadn't forgotten. Her only attempt had forgetting had been a year ago, and now she stood on Kumo soil once again.

"No, i am not allied with Konohagakure," she admitted truthfully, not bringing herself to lie even if she thought it could save her life. She had come this far hugging her ideals close to her, it would be a shame to change now. "Maku, his brother and I found refuge in a land far to the south, Haven country. We stayed there until... But I came here on no one's behalf, at least no one you would care to hear about since I'm forbidden from speaking of him." Yet she wasn't just here for Maku, she was here for him too, despite his insistence that he needed no consolation. "I suppose I also came for myself. There are no forces attempting to hunt you down, rest assured. I'm not the front lines of an army. I came of my own free will because... Because I believe there is something worth coming over here for."

Standing beside him, her slender frame dwarfed by his armour and bulk, Akihana looked down at the village he surveyed as his domain. He claimed he gave those people what they wanted but she only shook her head, soft golden hair flowing gently with the movement. All she saw was row upon row of miserable bodies waiting for release, to die and move or or to heal and truly live. A single tear slid down her cheek, joining the filth and rot at their feet.

Her voice remarkably steady despite the small display of emotion, she spoke once more, her words soft, almost too soft to be heard should one pay enough inattention. "I would never argue that my life would be even worth two of someone else's, or even one. Everyone is a unique and beautiful soul who deserves a chance at happiness. A chance you've taken away from them. I do know however that some compensation is better than none. You see, I never learned give and take as a child... It didn't make sense to me that exchanges could happen based on anything but emotions and good will." She paused for a moment, gaining courage to look into his mask once more. "Perhaps that is why I'm so inept at it. But my offer still stands. Let these people go. The ones who want to. You say all men want to be led. I would ask you allow me to walk these fields and ask for myself. And if they do not, let them go."

She had nothing else to offer to make the exchange more attractive, she truly was inept at negotiation, but what she lacked in skill the kunoichi could make up for in persistence. And she was here to stay, to make him listen. No matter how long it took.

The more he listened to what she had to say the more it harkened back to the ideals of old kumogakure and its complacency with just being a major village. Just the thought of how stagnant it was infuriated his thoughts. Every word she spoke rolled through his ears and all he could do was wonder how Maku had not made her brain dead with a genjutsu to get away from the incessant voice of what she most have thought was reasoning. It got to the point that even Epidemius had left to the far reaches of his mind to avid what she was saying.

At least she wasn't allied with the wretched village, Konohagakure, at least she had Sid she wasn't. Words however were just that, empty vessels that one hoped carried weight. Most times however, they didn't. Most of everything else she had said he heard the ending of various words before drowning them out with plans and plots of various natures.

"....very well, since your friends are dear to you, those are the people I will allow you to take out of the village. Just your direct friends and you will walk proudly through the front gates. No more, no less and I wouldn't recommend pushing the subject further if I were you."

His tone carried finality in it as he turned once more to slowly begin walking back to the village, more than likely she'd follow and if not then this would be the end of that and Akuoy would be sent to follow her every move while she was here.

The very fact that Youka did not accept her challenge to go through his so called people for those who wanted to leave was a sign of hope for the blonde. It meant he either knew in his heart that he was wrong, or he didn't want to lose good people. Either way, the kunoichi was not expecting the offer he made next. Truth be told, she had entered the village with little expectation so to be told that she would be allowed to leave with her friends...

It seemed Maku too watched out for some people, or at least his memory did. Once upon a time, the blue eyed man had told her that tokens meant nothing, that a memory was enough to remember someone by for the rest of your life. Akihana didn't know if it was the cloak or just the memory but Youka seemed to respect bonds as much as his best friend did. Even if everyone considered the being standing before her a monster, Akihana could no more muster up the strength to see him as one than she could hate him for it.

As the seed she'd dropped earlier grew, spreading like the river of doubt inside her, the blonde followed him mutely, considering her options. To be able to leave was something she hadn't expected to ever do. She had fully arrived here with the intent to stay in exchange for the freedom of kumo citizens and yet, here she was, being allowed to return home. For a moment, thoughts of her sons, of Den and all the people of Hoshigakure weakened her enough to consider his proposal. She would have accomplished her goal anyway. She would have saved a few dozen people and she would be able to go home.

But a few dozen didn't make up a village... It didn't make up her village. She was here for Kumo after all.

"Could I have some time to ponder the matter?' she asked politely as she made their way to the main village, her eyes stinging with each new gory sight that looked worse than it had in Sanctuary's pond. It was made all the worse because Akihana knew what had been there before Youka's reign of terror destroyed her village. She could see things in twos, before and after, and that was the saddest thing of all. "I never expected to return from this, I need a bit of time to understand, and look for my friends..." Just the way she said it, the blonde was ashamed.

She was ashamed that she might have to take him up on his offer, but more so of the fact that she had come very close to lying. But for the sake of the people, she would consider it. The lives of the few versus the lives of the many, the eternal shinobi question. And one she was now being forced to answer via her actions.

Mortarion walked down the winding path all the while keeping his senses in tune with the outside world and the two ninja following their movements. If he has felt danger then he would have acted accordingly, however this woman truly wanted nothing but peace and that fact only field his growing rage and hate. Epidimius still watched over the proceedings quietly whispering new poisons and toxins to try later on varying unwilling participants.

"You have three days before I will require an answer."

His retort came quick and sharp after her question left her lips. He honestly didn't want the woman in the village, however with his goals and ideals shifting flatly killing her would have been in very poor taste and set him back once more. It also wasn't wise attacking someone without knowing who backed them. As they made it to the third districts entrance he would pause for a brief moment while the pack on his back whirred mechanically.

"You are only alive because you have connections with my dear friend, once I am satisfied with your information we will reconvene on if you should be kept alive. You will have dinner with me tonight as well, your guards included. I will speak more in depth with you then."

Odd as it was, the threatening tone made Akihana feel more at ease with the threatening tone. Perhaps it was because her companion did too. Maku had spoken of him as a friend and comrade but the more she saw of him, the more she spoke to Youka, she couldn't help but feel Youka didn't see himself as either. Had he played the role of evil dictator so long that he'd started believing that was all he was? People were more than the sum of their parts though, something Akihana knew not from shinobi arts but from simply knowing people. Youka might have forgotten, but she knew.

The kunoichi also thought it would be in poor taste to mention that he had brought up Maku after telling her not to. If he waned to talk about his friend, she would gladly be the medium he could do it through.

"Very well," she agreed, keeping her golden eyes lowered as they entered what appeared to be the a decent part of the village, at least judging by the housing areas and landmarks she could gleam. "I'll give you my answer in three days, thank you very much for allowing me the contemplation period, and the invitation to dinner." Whether it was truly an invitation or an order, the kunoichi didn't know. All she did know was that even if i was an order, she would receive it as an invitation. Clutching her cloak tightly around her and slender hands still grasping the token from the statue of the Goddess he'd tried to destroy, she followed him silently, golden eyes taking in her surroundings as unobtrusively as possible.

Her old apartment building used to be quite a ways from here, the tiny flat in which she and Arata had somehow made ends meet was a distant memory. And like most memories, it hadn't faded. if anything, time had glorified it, made it more real than reality, edited all flaws and forever stored it as a piece of happiness inside her. The building was nowhere in sight now, probably crushed to the ground for another structure to take its place. It was a silly realization for Akihana but it was there nonetheless: she no longer had a home in Kumogakure.

As they both walked through the village he would point to the scyscrapers and mention how they were each built as someone's house. The streets were made of steel and most people in this district were truly happy as it had been their decision to choose him, no longer satisfied with their complacent leaders.

"If you turn to your left, there is a building to the back that was once used by a former visitor Kumogakure had. You'll rest and take solace there, most everything is augmented to be self running and sufficient, speak to the wall monitors if you need anything."

The Kage eyed around him for a moment taking in the environment it would seem to just a normal person, however he was communicating with his clone. Within the same time frame Akuoy appeared clad in his armour, hood down showing a more healthy and still full of life face of Mortarion.

"My personal guard will be by your door should you need to be led to my home. His name is Akuoy, he doesn't speak much, but I have instructed him to answer should you ask."

As they walked and he showed her around, Akihana wondered if there was a sense of pride in his voice through the filtered mask he wore. She had seen his face for only a few minutes but it was hard to imagine an emotion such as pride touching those pale gaunt features. But if it was indeed pride, she was glad. it was good to see emotions plagued this leader just like they did everyone else.

"Thank you," she spoke as he offered her accommodations and summoned his clone to guide her. Neither of them were fools. She knew what "guard" in any shinobi village meant. She'd had her share of escorts in Kumo when she'd been knew, placed to watch her and her newborn much like this one was supposed to watch her now. Still she was grateful.

"I'll see you at dinner I suppose," she aided a she stepped ahead, following the hooded clone who looked like a better image of the man she had seen in Etro's Shrine earlier. Perhaps she would get to see him again. Or perhaps he would simply decide to kill her before dessert. It was certainly going to be adventurous either way.

"I hope you have a good day," the blonde wished sincerely as she left towards the building he had assigned her. She had entered this newer, darker Kumo successfully. The stubborn ray of light Akihana was had permeated the darkness temporarily, though she wondered how long it would be before the sliver of light was lost.

(potential exit)

TWC: 5, 701

3, 000 towards wood clone please
2, 701 towards left

Mortarion had done what he thought he'd never be able to do, something that the demon that once controlled his life had said he'd never be able to do. He had shown constraint and a further layer of self he was building on. Sadly for Akihana he wasn't fully the man yet that he wanted to be, his aggravation and inner turmoil took over and spoke more to his primal and inner hate side. It needed to be done, and if he didn't do it now the repercussions would be on a much grander scale.

The ever glowing sharingan swirling, activating his final technique as her back was turned, an invisible field taking over the direct vicinity. Anything that used chakra would suddenly become useless as the limiting field took complete control. He had really thought he'd be able to control the urge better than this. However hearing of Maku's death and also how easily Kumo had been invaded he simply needed an outlet to his anger and she'd play the sheep led to slaughter.

Silence, his manreaper slipped off his back latches and flowed into his right hand like water almost as if it to had the same notion to slay. With the motion and the flick and turn of his arm and wrist the scythe would edge up and diagonally downwards from left to right spewing a mixture of acids and poisons from its blade. There would be no resistance from bone or muscle tissue, the acid ensured everything turned to soft mush even before the blade needed to cut just as butter melted against the flame.

The once alive diplomat would more tan likely attempt to activate some type of defense yet all defense and offense were rendered quite ineffective to his eyes. She'd still be "alive" through the initial shock just long enough to feel her top half hit the floor and the intestines from her lower half balling atop her head and hitting the ground beside her. A slight smile of satisfaction that would never be seen would etch itself on Mortarions face at the sight and ease of the task. The last thing she'd see before her eyes rolled to the back of her head was the blade ensuring she was truly not of this world anymore as it removed head from shoulders with a decisive this from the head hitting the steel.

Of course her messengers he'd let live, he'd need to know where this village she hailed from was, he'd follow them home and raze her village to ensure no one ever came again. All of their ninja would forever serve as sentries on pikes, never dead yet not quite alive. Each day he'd feed them their own entrails as they bloated with puss. It would be the perfect punishment and Epideimus laughed at the vision as well almost like a father being proud of their son.

He wasn't proud that he had done it and coming back to reality only a few moments had passed in real life as he shook that whole vision from his mind. It was true he needed to kill her mentally to stop himself from attempting it right now in the present. It was a practice he had adopted when he felt the urge to mindlessly kill without course or thought and it worked. Her back was still turned and walking into the building he had given her. He too could turn and walk away a little proud with himself that he was slowly but surely curbing his base desires for long term goals.

"A good day indeed..."

(Exit)